My name is James Panzone, I have a Master of Social Work from the University of Central Florida and was pursuing independent licensure in Florida before moving back to my hometown in Southwestern PA. I have been married for 12 years to my amazing and supportive wife. I specialize in working with children ages 5+, adolescents, families, military/veterans, emergency services (firefighters/EMTs/police/911 dispatchers), childhood trauma and abuse, and pregnancy & infant loss (for teenagers and adults, regardless of gender).
I have always taken the approach that you should know a little bit about me and who I am before you can begin to feel comfortable opening up to me, so here is some of my life experiences and background to know who I am.
Before becoming a therapist, I spent 4 years in the United States Air Force as a Scientific Applications Specialist working to help ensure international compliance with nuclear peace treaties. I have been a volunteer firefighter for approximately 6 years and am a certified firefighter. I have always found a passion in serving my country and community through being a firefighter, my military service, and now as a therapist. I volunteered as a Guardian ad Litem in Florida for the local court system, helping to advocate and be the voice for the best interests of children going through the court system while they were in foster care or other arrangements while their parents worked on case plans to improve themselves for their children.
My hobbies and interests include being a volunteer firefighter, computers & electronics, computer programming, 3D Printing, Anime, and more. I have been a “geek/nerd” since my youth, after getting my first computer at age 9-10. I became a junior firefighter at age 15, following in my dad’s footsteps and even went on after high school to attend a fire academy located outside of Galveston, Texas, graduating top of my class. I even became a certified EMT-B at the age of 16.
Today, while I still give back to my community as a firefighter, working with kids and families to help them through a variety of issues and become better persons and a better family, is something I never expected to pursue as a career when I was younger, but I am glad I got into this field.
If you have any questions about me, who I am, or if I am the best fit for you, your kids, or your family, feel free to ask. We can work together as a team to help address whatever is going on in your life and to start making the steps to change today.
